No Time For Jesus

In the Bible story of Mary and Martha, I’ve never been Martha. I’m the girl who is always ready to abandon her to-do list for anything remotely interesting.

This semester has been significantly less busy than last semester, yet I still struggle to make room for Jesus in my schedule.

I plan out (plan-ish. I’m more of a dreamer than a planner) my homework and classes and work, sneaking in a little bit of writing, time with friends, a few adventures, and occasionally a few hours of sleep.

But when it comes to time with Jesus, all I have to offer are leftover minutes and scraps of quiet time during my day.

So, am I more of a Martha than a Mary? Am I too busy to sit at Jesus’s feet? Do I live as if I have no time for the One who saved me?

There is nothing wrong with praying while running down the stairs on your way to class, but if that is the only time you pray, then there is a problem. And I find myself continually on the move, doing something, being with someone, or intentionally procrastinating–but rarely sitting down for longer than 5 or 10 minutes and just being still.

Maybe it is the pile of grammar classes I’ve taken, but my life feels like an endless run-on sentence. All the days and events and memories pile up on top of each other. Somewhere in the middle of the mess, I try to fit in Jesus.

Breathe by Jonny Diaz perfectly shows this. The song picks up pace at the beginning, describing the crazy-busy of our life, but then at the chorus, the beat slows down, and Diaz sings:

Just breathe, just breathe

Come and rest at my feet

And be, just be

The point is not to drag Jesus with us during our busy day, but to stop and breathe and be with Him for a while. One of my favorite verses is the beginning of Psalm 46:10.

Be still, and know that I am God.

That’s it. That’s all we need to know. In the rush of everyday life, I feel Jesus tugging at my heart, telling me to be still and remember Who He is.

Most people I know are too busy or at least busy in someway. And those who aren’t are in denial (Just kidding. But I know that procrastination plagues more than me).

Yesterday I started reading Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book About A (Really) Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung.

While reading, the following quote jumped out at me.

“We understand deep down that the problem (of busyness) is not just with our schedules or with the world’s complexity—something is not right with us…The disorder of daily life is a product of disorder in the innermost places of the heart. Things are not the way they ought to be because we are not the way we are supposed to be.”

—Kevin DeYoung

I know that this may not apply to everyone who struggles with being too busy, but I know that many times I allow busyness to distract me from facing the more difficult parts of life. If I stay busy, then I don’t have to stop and address the recurring problems in my life.

I don’t want to live as if I have no time for Jesus, especially when I only have time because of Jesus.

He bought my life, His blood redeemed my days, and I’d rather be with Him than be busy. I know it seems impossible to escape the ever-growing to-do list. But today, step out of the kitchen, or the office, or just turn off your laptop, and sit at Jesus’s feet.

You won’t regret it.